Writing table having an adjustable drawing board



April 15, 1952 R w, THOMPSON 2,593,364

WRITING TABLE HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE DRAWING BOARD Filed Aug. 9, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N V ENTOR.

2 0? T710772} Son ATTU RN EYE April 15, 1952 p w THOMPSON 2,593,364

WRITING TABLE HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE DRAWING BOARD Filed Aug. 9, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Percy WThompson ATTE! PEN EYE Patented Apr. 15, 1952 WRITING TABLE HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE DRAWING BOARD Percy W. Thompson, Memphis, Tenn.

Application August'9, 1949, Serial No. 109,256

This invention relates to a table, and more particularly to a table for use by persons making signs and show cards.

The object of the invention is to provide a table which includes a drawing board that can be used in a horizontal position or readily moved to a sloping position as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a table that includes a drawing board which can be moved towards and away from the user in order to enablethe user toworl: efficiently and cornfort-ably.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a table which includes a novel means for adjusting the drawing board about a horizontal axis, or moving the board towards and away from the user, the structure including a means for maintaining the board immobile in its adjusted position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a table which includes a drawing board that can be raised or lowered while the board is in a vertical or inclined position so that the user will be able to adjust his work to a convenient position, either up or down.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the table, with the drawing board in the raised position, according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the table, with the board in the perpendicular position;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view or" the table. with the drawing board in its lowered or horizontal position;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through the table, with the drawing board in the position of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2. I

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral Ic designates a supporting body which includes a pair of vertically disposed spaced parallel frame members I! and II. A channel I2 extends between the lower portion of the frame members I I and l I while a similar channel I3 extends between the upper ends of the frame members I I and I I. The channels it and I3 are secured to the frame members by suitable securing elements, such as screws I4, Figure l, and the channel members I2 and l3 1 Claim. (Cl. Kill-38) serve to maintain the frame members I I and ii in their proper spaced relation.

Arranged above the frame member II is a channel shaped track I5, and arranged above the other frame member Ii is a similar channel shaped track I5. Secured to one end of the track I5 as by welding is an ear I1, and a pin I6 hingedly connects the ear I! to the frame member II, there being a cotter pin I8 for maintaining the ear I! on the pin I6. The other track I5 also has an ear I'I secured thereto, and a pin l5, Figure 4, hingedly connects the ear I1" to the frame member II. A pair of spaced parallel angles I8 and I8 extend between the tracks I5 and I5 and are secured thereto, as by welding, for a purpose to be later described.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the tracks I5 and I5 are adjustably mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis. For maintaining the tracks I5 and I5 immobile in their adjusted positions, a stud pin I9 connects the upper end of a quadrant 20 to the track I5. The quadrant 20 slidably passes through a clamp bracket 2! which is secured to the frame member II. A manually movable thumb screw 22 projects through the bracket 2! and into engagement with the quadrant 20 to maintain the tracks immobile in their adjusted position. Similarly, a stud pin I9 connects the upper end of a quadrant 29' to the track I5. The quadrant 20' slidably projects through a clamp bracket 2| which is secured to the frame member II, and a thumb screw 22 is carried'by the clamp'bracket 2| for engagement with the quadrant 20.

Slidably arranged in the track I5 is a runner 23 which is preferably made of hard wood. An angle iron 24 is connected to the runner 23 by bolt and nut-assemblies 25. Similarly, a hard wood run 23' is slidably arranged in the other track I5 and an angle iron 24' is secured to the runner 23 by suitable bolt and nut assemblies 25. Bolt and nut assemblies 26 connect the angles to a drawing board 21; and the other angle 24 is connected to the opposite side of the drawing board 2'! by bolt and nut assemblies 26, Figure 2.

For preventing the board 21 from pivotally moving too far in a counter-clockwise direction, a washer 28 is secured to the lower end of the quadrant ill by a set screw 29. A similar washer 28 is secured to the lower end'of the other quadrant 29 by a set screw 28. The washers 28 and 28 are adapted. to contact the clamp brackets 2| and 2i in the event that the board 21 is pivoted too far, to thereby limit counterclockwise pivotal movement of the board 21. Extending along an edge of the drawing board 21 and secured thereto, is a strip 30 which is adapted to prevent cards and the like from sliding off the board while the cards are being painted. The strip 30 is also adapted to be used as a guide for laying off lines on cards.

A manually operable means is provided for moving the drawing board 21 towards and away from the user so as to enable the user to work efficiently and comfortably. This means includes a pair of bearings 3| and 32, Figure 2, the bearings 3| and 32 extending between the angles 18 and I8 and secured thereto. A shaft 33 is rotatably supported by the bearings 3| and 32, and a hand wheel 34 is securedto one end of the shaft 33 for moving the latter. Secured to the other end of the shaft 33 is a grooved or recessed drum 35 which has a rope or cable 35 trained thereover'.

One end of the rope'or cable 36 is secured to a buttonhead 31 which is anchored in an angle bracket 38, the angle bracket 38 being secured to the undersurface of the board 21 adjacentits lower edge, by means of bolts 39. The other end of the rope or cable. 35 is connected to a threaded stud 40 which is arranged in engagement with an angle bracket 4|, the angle bracket 4| being secured to the undersurface of the board 21- by bolts 42. A nut 43 is arranged in engagement with the stud 40 and by proper rotation of the nut 43, the tension on the rope or cable 35 can be adjusted as desired.

Arranged off center with respect to the bearing 32 and projecting therefrom is a pin 44 which is adapted to seat in one of a plurality of spaced openings 45 that are arranged in the end of the drum 35. Thus, when the pin 44 is in one of the openings 45, rotation of the drum 35 will be prevented so that the drawing board 21 will remain immobile in its adjusted position. A coil spring 46 is circumposed on the shaft 33 and the coil spring 46 is interposed between the bearing 32 and a collar 41 which is secured to the shaft 33. This coil spring 46 normally maintains or urges one of the openings 45 into engagement with the pin 44 to therebylock the drum 35. I V

Thus, it will be seen that the above described apparatus enables the drawing board 21 to be shifted to and from the user. To shift the drawing board 21, a slight inward pressure is exerted on the hand wheel 34 to thereby disengage the opening 45 in the drum 35 fromthe "pin 44, thereby enabling rotation of the-hand wheel 34. The hand Wheel 34 can be rotated in either direction so that the board 21 can be moved towards and away from the user, since the ends of the rope or cable 36 are connected to; the oppositeends of the drawing board-21. As soon as the pressure on the hand wheel 34 is released, as when the drawing board 21 has'been set in the desired position, the coil spring 46 will return the shaft 33 and drum 35 to the position 4 shown in Figure 5 wherein the drawing board will be locked in the desired position. Further, the construction of the table is such that the table can be readily disassembled and folded into a compact unit for shipment purposes.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that a table has been provided which is especially suitable for sign and show card writers. The table, however, can also be used for general drawing as desired. The drawing board 21 can be readily adjusted and locked in any position from horizontal to vertical as previously described. Further, the drawing board 21 can be moved towards and away from the user by the previously described structure, so that the user can work comfortably and eiiiciently. All of the adjustments can be quickly and easily made by the operator without requiring assistance from anyone else.

What I claim:

'A writers table having a supporting body including'a pair'of spaced'parallel vertically dise posed frame members, horizontally disposed channels extending between said frame members and secured thereto, a pair of channelshaped tracks pivotallyconnected .to said frame members, a runner slidably arranged ineach of said tracks, a drawing board connected to said runners, a clamp bracket secured to the upper end of each of said frame members, a quadrant connected to each of said'tracks and slidablyprojected through said clamp brackets, a thumb screw for maintaining said quadrants removable in their adjusted position, the improvement comprising means for causing adjustable sliding movements of said drawing board and said means including a pair of angle irons extending between said tracks and secured thereto, a shaft arranged between said angle irons and rotatably supported thereby, a hand wheel secured to one end of said shaft for manually moving the latter, a

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 468,929 Cochrane Feb. 16, 1892 517,928 Liechty Apr. 10, 1894 783,973 McAnelly Feb. 28, 1905 956,013 Willis Apr. 26, 1910 975,811 Walsh Nov. 15, 1910 2,466,688 Culver Apr. 

